Mahattan Blockade II
by Inklungs
Summary: After the 3rd birthday, life is getting normal for both Kyle and Eve. Both began to lose memories of the alternative timeline as order is restoring. They began to drift apart into separate lives. Till something happens again...
1. Past Demons

**Disclaimer: Parasite Eve, Parasite Eve II, Third Birthday, Aya Brea, Daniel or whatever...they belong to Square Enix.**

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**"What led you here was hope for tomorrow. Smile and walk toward the future. I'll be watching over you. Well, I'll do my best."** Aya Brea's final lines.

**Past Demons**

"…That was a loooonnng night…Sleep well?" A young Japanese man in a messy blue suit and silver framed sunglasses greeted. If not for the look of intellect he gave, he could easily be a common homeless in the city. Or a moron who never had to dress himself up.

The woman named 'Aya Brea' startled at the sudden introduction. The voice was…familiar. She immediately gasped as she inspected herself to find a change of dress from the previous black vest, white eider coat, tattered jeans and combat boots, to now a set of black leather jacket, perfect jeans, white T-shirt and black heavy boots.

Her watch even changed to a monotonous black and white dial from the moment before. How did her clothing change all of a sudden? And who is this nerd? Does he know her?

"You were here ALL night?! I told you, it's not a Unversity Science Social party here, you need to go for your own sake." A voice identical to her own one spoken yet she didn't even feel her lips move. The voice was firm and shot a warning but there was a friendly tone.

"You're a scientist not a kindergarten student, you could have died of hypothermia you know!" Aya's arms folded despite the fact she wanted to keep them on the holster. Her body wasn't going with the way her mind planned. Her new body in this new outfit quickly pulled off her jacket despite the freezing temperature of dawn, her hand stretched out to the man as if to share warmth with him. The man politely gestured with his hand and bowed slightly to refuse.

"Scientists can't conclude in anything without reliable evidence. It's just one of those things….." The man growled out as he stretched his arms in the air, barely allowing the accent to destroy the quality amid the yawn. Aya's face smiled despite 'Aya' feeling her mouth was shut sternly and defensively.

"Oh hey Aya right?" He suddenly looked her in the eye again with an observing sight behind the reflective glasses. He took those off and rubbed them. "I er-. Please. Don't call yourself a monster….I understand your point."

"What point." Her voice went off again with someone else's words.

"I errr…can't express this well….but…I understand your….concern…but….monster aren't monsters after all…they like us are trying to make life better…guess…You're not a monster Aya.

"YEEEEESSS! HA!HA!HA! No TRAFFIC. THIS is the way it's ought to be here." A huge crackle came from a stopping screech.

A huge brown man in a plain beige suit and green tie flew out of the car as if he's size was nothing. It's not hard to guess he's a detective from the first size. Aya gasped again but no sound came. She didn't recognize this guy. However, some part of her did.

"Wait….Was this Mae….That creepy old guy who…." No sound came as she spoke. It was as if she was in someone else's body. Or rather she is.

* * *

"Come on. I thought you had a date to go to! Aya?" The view suddenly transformed with no warning again. Dawn was night. Sun turned into decoration lights. The Japanese man disappeared. Instead 'Aya' saw her hand nearly dropping a coin into the bowl of a sleeping old chap who looks like Santa Claus molested by a wolf pack from torn coats and messy hair that gave off unpleasant smells.

A short and slender Korean man called her. He was dressed casually, wearing an elf hat, brown cotton jumper, jeans and red tipped trainers. His expression was rather happy, alert. Appearing to be pretty hyped and bubbly.

"Well. I must voice my appreciation on behalf of her for your hospitality of the ride." The blond physicist in perhaps his 50s nodded to the younger colleague. His frozen blue eyes sent a welcoming glare through a thin spectacle. His face a grin.

"Thanks" 'Aya' quickly responded.

3 pairs of footsteps trailed off the silent night. A vehicle slowly drove into the traffic.

Another hallucination.

* * *

Life was hard to explain rationally to 'Aya' or the supposed Aya. The real Aya Brea died 3 years ago. What was left of her was only her body and the mind of a child that came out of nothing but a blastomere of cells containing the woman's genomes. The child worked originally only for experimental purposes of questionable morality.

In fact her creators were in one way or a bunch of extremist psychopaths who more or less were individuals that needed help. More like an angry toddler running with a shotgun. The only purpose that led them to create the child was purely destructive. The plan was to allow her to be the carrier of a deadly pathogen at the cost of her humanity. The pathogen would then spread across all the places known to man changing what precious genetics God made man with. What remained of the future would be a twisted and artificially assisted evolution where everything eats everything. Parents cannibalize offsprings, offsprings cannibalize parents. Where all life are back to the most primitive basics where it's just food, sex, and more children to feed on.

It was already a miracle that this plan didn't produce the bitter fruit. But the fact remains. The child's life still had its destructive purpose. Now on her family.

For ever since the day the child met the real Aya she had destroyed everything of that woman, there was some happiness that was brought into the Aya Brea's life but eventually all of the family, relationships, love, connection and gifts were a mirage to a meaningless destiny. The child had costed the woman's future with a partner, it costed her life.

The experience was more than enough to give her shellshock. It was inexplicable. The destructive power the child had gave her the ability to even manipulate the nature of time and consciousness. In the same city, the same time and around the same people, only at a different dimension, a different timeline, this 'Aya Brea' consisting of the original's body and the mind of the child would turn the world into a feeding den, where monsters appear randomly and consume, devouring everything in their way. A world where the physicist beside her known as Dr. Hyde Bohr will be hiding a darker agenda, something will mean he's not completely human, nor any normal organism on this planet that obeys its rules. He is nothing but a murderous plague born out of the child that will soon or later murder the one driving the car. The blame was eventually put onto a fatherly figure of the child's who more or less suffered the same symptoms due to their connection. That man's destiny was only a pawn for Hyde to play with, for Hyde even manage to achieve a crueler nature if not another miracle that happened with the real Aya coming back and disposing him.

That's what hurt the new 'Aya Brea' the worst. The original woman gave her life, she gave her own life which had directly the opposite purpose; to save, to a girl who looks like her but whose life is to destroy and murder.

This troubled the child from the beginning. To allow the child to live, the woman must die. When she died she would leave the world vulnerable to this sickly little useless brat. Who was not strong enough to save her family, who wasn't intelligent enough to calculate that she was carrying out the orders of a hostile evil, who wasn't sure enough of why she should live her life but at the same time take another role. Why can't she be the one to be destroyed instead?

The original Aya Brea took her consciousness and the child's body away. This had somehow averted a timeline where 2 species of life forms would kick humanity's ass off the top of the food chain. At the same time it allowed the child to live. For the parts left were her consciousness and Aya Brea's body which she took.

What did she ever do to deserve this?


	2. Other Side

**Disclaimer: I don't own parasite eve! Please give reviews. Flames are okay if constructive. Anyway, parasite eve was the second survival horror game I've played after RE3. Quite liked it and became a fan of the first one. Like the RE controls of the second one but didn't like its story. The cloning and out of hand sci-fi imagination of the second one was a bit like a rip off and made the first story which had a sense of realism as strength into FF story with RE controls. First was more or less a FF and RE story with FF oriented controls. The third one made me a bit angry that 1. Killing the main character didn't make any difference at all. Series continues anyway... plot holes that hurt my head. 3. Even more fantasy oriented story that it's like filming Peter Pan as sequel to The Lost World...**

**But no flames. I still regard the games as good anyway.**

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**" Eternity is inside of you." Kyle**

**The Other Side**

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!" An old but still bulky dark skinned Santa Claus cheered to a patient on the bed as he gave the young boy a toy.

"Merry Christmas Granpa!" The boy smiled and tried to meagerly reach. His state was very weak.

"Hey! Over here dumbass! What's taking you so long?!" The impatient Santa Claus silently mouthed to a man who was more or less in his 40s, 20 years younger than himself, and dressed in a green elf suit to deliver the food. 'Santa' tried his best to hide the awful language but the little boy heard nevertheless and chuckled.

"Jeeeeeze. Daniel! Do you always have to be so grumpy and moody?" The man hissed but quickly gave the boy good wishes and encouraged futilely to get the boy to try and eat the vegetables.

A police officer quickly walked in and removed his cap. Revealing brown skins, 2 large brown eyes as well as a head that's almost bald. His skin was dark chocolate in colour. A fine and tidy officer in mid 20s but somehow always not so punctual.

"Hiya! Cody! How are y-easy, little guy! Easy! Or I'll need to arrest your for assault" The officer grunted as despite the weak state of the boy, he managed to give the man's ribs a tight squeeze.

"How many times did I tell you Ben!? Don't make a promise you can't keep." The old man took off his whiskers in annoyance.

"This is Cathy's kid here…..his old woman's off in a coma, I need you to set a good example." He took off his hat revealing a battle wary face. The forehead was now laced with the scars of time. His eyes were tired. There's still some trace similar to the officer.

"Yeah! Like you would make a perfect example to me when I was around Cody's age, Daniel-um-Dad." The officer didn't bother to look at his father before handing Cody some candies. His voice dry and cold.

"Kyle. Are Uncle Dollis and Ben angry at me again?" The timid Cody's eyes were wide at the 'elf.'

"Jeeze people. Happy now. You've got our little savior scared now! And it's supposed to be his birthday in a few days!" Kyle joked with a voice that had a hidden resentment only adults knew.

"And here comes the magical good old Wayne!" A loud voice trailed in. Cody flinched off his bed but giggled when a clown came into the treatment room juggling in utter failure as he caught none of the balls.

"Wayne. Would you stay quiet and disciplined! Just for once! It's like I've got a hellhound loose since the day with Torres." Daniel covered the clown's mouth as he caught a ball that was about to drop into a cup of coffee.

"OMG! Is that a dinosaur out there?!" Kyle pointed out the door in all of a sudden.

"Dinosaur?! That's one of Cody's most wanted festive wish! Hey Ben, Kyle, why don't we go and look. Cody….be a good boy and get enough rest. We'll bring the big dino tomorrow to ya!" Daniel thought of a dry excuse. He'll buy a big fluffy toy later. He just doesn't want this many people in a room with a shy boy who is tragically terminally ill, without a mother there and got nobody except a few brainless police people.

"Make sure he doesn't stay up late. I'm counting on you Wayne." Daniel's humor broke into a cold instruction to the clown. For some reason there's some magic between Wayne and Cody that always makes the young toddler laugh. Sometime that wasn't common between Cathy and Wayne when they always argue. Wayne is still a weaponry obsessed freak to this day. Daniel had enough talks to make sure Wayne doesn't bring the topic to Cody but knew Wayne isn't something that listens.

"If Aya was here." Daniel thought as he pretended in an adventure's stance out of the room, saluting the boy.

* * *

Daniel could see a lot of repeated mistakes in his family. Back when Ben was Cody's age, he was the prodigal father. He never achieved one successful promise but his mouth farted at least a hundred commitments he can't keep. It was all something he believed he can get away from his family till that Christmas broke out. Police work is a dedicating occupation. He thought his son understands but he hadn't some common sense to know no one will understand.

The official incident was identified as 'Manhattan Blockade.' Blamed on terrorists who used pipeline and volatile chemicals and attacked the city by unexplained mysteries. The general public more or less dismissed it as an urban legend. The most credible and 'scientific' explanation being that it all started off with a prank gone wrong that burned thousands of people around Carnegie Hall to coal. That night on 24th December 1997.

But it wasn't. Daniel, his partner and an innocent scientist caught in the wrath, was at its epicenter. From that 6 day on, it was a nightmare for all those who weren't so lucky to get out in time. Exploding people, melting flesh, mutating animals that could mangle bones in seconds, terrifying monsters that snapped at anything it sees a weird crazy singer who turned the lovely a pregnancy at Christmas from a symbol of hope, new age and salvation, into a visceral fear, a new but slimy evolution and an omen of deaths and extinction of mankind and probably everything.

"Oh yeah. There's also the Godamn dinosaur way back….who should stay extinct." He laughed in a humor that died down in loneliness.

He barely wanted to overcome the fear of remembering the unbearable torture of his body on fire which he barely survived. He barely wanted to remember he was Detective Daniel Dollis who lost his wife and nearly his son Ben to that ugly venomous lady who conducted the opera of massacre in Central Park.

There were some good out of the misery. He finally realized his son's need for vital life saving attention. He finally felt at peace for being a police who did his job. He most of all strengthened his Father-daughter team relationship with his partner…Only to lose her, and never see her again.

Even though their time was extremely and ridiculously short, about 6 months of working. It was something unique Daniel never got again. Wayne kept sane with his hobby for collecting firearms, Baker and Cathy had, no, used to have the dog, Baker came to terms and Cathy had a son for a brief while before an accident. Aya as a partner was something he missed. He never got a partner again for almost another 10 years of duty, even though some were good in performance; they were cold and often can't keep up with pressure. Instead of motivated by pressure to respond to something, they instead got crushed by it and quit.

He often could still picture the pair of ocean eyes gazing at him caringly like a clever guard dog, her gold locks of sunshine silk dangling at his side of the desk when he's tired of nightshift. That crisp reassuring and intelligent voice.

There were some web myths recently just 3 years ago, one of a woman with a huge snake like beast on top of a tower but that was mostly dismissed as a hoax of the infamous 2012 apocalypse. Surprisingly the webpage was never recovered. The woman did resemble Aya a lot.

Wherever Aya is, Daniel hoped she was safe.

Still the good don't last forever. Right after Ben graduated from uni, he got the same role as Daniel. Their positions were now reversed from father to son and son to father. Ben was the cop who can't keep making promises; Daniel was now the one at hope praying for his welfare. Now suffering in dire despair, afraid of the fact; he might be alone by himself one day.

Good lasted from Cathy's pregnancy to her accident. NYPD department Precinct 17 was glad to have its first baby. For a time, everyone still working was happy, till a robbery went wrong one day and left the kid's mother in a coma. That wasn't the terrible news yet. What's worse. The kid had some genetic bullshit caused by 'mitochondria.' He hated the word, as if that stupid scientist named Klamp would jump and scream in delight like a lunatic out of an asylum, delivering how it's the end of days. That word of the organelles in all living cells, which still has DNA, caused that blockade incident. It's even grosser to hear it again. He hated that statement. Even though it wasn't enough to make normal mitochondria living on their own, a mutated strand had its own partial genomes but still had a will of its own. A homicidal will to survive if needed. Some sort of parasite.

Ben was kind enough to adopt Cody briefly. Spend time with him. Daniel however, knew the pressure of policing and family is now crushing Ben down. He respected his son. He know knew the emotions Ben felt when he screamed at him for not attending a concert all those years back.

* * *

Daniel was so wrapped up with the Ghost of Christmas Past that he didn't realize Kyle tapped him on the shoulder a million times. Kyle always seemed like a strange person. He never told anything of the past. 'Can't piece together much of it' was his excuse. This 'Kyle Madigan' is difficult to read at times.

But there sure was a coincidence, they've all gotten into a charity that gives care to sufferers of mitochondria caused terminal illness. The other cops, who didn't retire like Wayne, simply gave some of his free time.

"Daniel, should you persuade you son home or somethin'. It's Christmas Eve." Kyle conveyed with a suggestive look in his hazel narrow eyes.

"Nah. Been there. Ben's old man understands…..he just need some time to think…and some time to adapt." He smiled at Kyle, well aware that his son wasn't looking at him the entire time, like he's some freaking ghost.

"Just saying…A lot of people don't treasure all the time in the world…they end up regretting it and trying to find eternity to answer their own problems." The man replied with a pat on Daniel's back as he left, his shift was done. Daniel questioned why Kyle was so insisting on leaving even though he normally never left Cody after his shifts.

"Well, wish the date goes well." Daniel guessed.

Kyle stopped. Turned and gave him a brief smile before he headed off.


	3. Advent Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own PE.**

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**"Life finds a way" Jurassic Park.**

**Advent Part I**

"Hmmn. Museum of Natural History. A bit awkward for a date isn't it?" Kyle lightly questioned.

"So, why not the Carnegie Hall? Ay-How do you pronounce you name again?" He took his eyes off the double helix animation on a display screen and shifted to the blond woman besides him.

"Uh…..don't know. I've got a bad feeling about theatres. And it's Aya. 'Eye-ya,' it's Japanese."

"Oh. Never knew you had Japanese lineage." They both chuckled.

"So Mister! How about you. Oh. Let me guess…" 'Aya' said a slow playful tone. Her investigative occupation trained her to be the best on this. "You're from Texas, and you're a private Investigator right?" Her eyes shone.

The man dropped his jaws. "How. On. Good. Earth. That was an awesome guess I must say." Kyle's eyes gaped in disbelief earning a smile from Aya, who secretly enjoyed a private victory at playing with a fatherly figure who knows nothing about his past.

"Hey….Ey….Ah still can't catch your name…but have we seen each other…cause…I feel being here…..if feels as if we have been here sometime….." Kyle scratched his head with a brochure. "We've been dating for a bit of time but I feel this place, you and someone else had some link to me." Kyle's eyes suddenly had a bit of suspicion.

"But thank you. It was really fun tonight." He said graciously.

Aya maintained her curios expression but deep within her heart it beat so fast it threatened to stop, her body flushed and burning. He must not remember.

"Kyle." She snapped him out sharply once they're out of the gate

"You um. Know…I'm sorry…..but this is not just gonna work." Aya wanted to get straight to the point.

"The man's eyes shown a slight hint of regret which disappeared. Well…if you so wish. Ee-." He forcefully holds his tongue in a sharp stop like a dagger.

Aya's smile slightly faded but she kept her expression neutral. "You alright?... Kyle….please…I didn't mean to…..I just wanted what's best for both of us." She turned back. A sudden fear came. Kyle, from what she was hearing was losing more and more of the memories. They both are. So far, the true person inside Aya's shell could barely remember Aya herself. Could it be that Kyle still knew that this wasn't Aya.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you like that but….guess it ends here huh?" Kyle opened the door for her.

"Thank you." Aya said in a meaningful meaner.

Kyle smiled and rolled his head as the car disappeared from view. The child he fostered with the real Aya Brea was always cunning, daring, innovative but her lies are not so and sometimes, plainly pathetic.

The entire conversation, he successfully convinced her that A) He is a man she just met and dated for a short period, he knows of no one called Aya Brea. B) He doesn't remember her in Aya's body that his almost adopted daughter is 'Eve Brea.' Finally their relationship must end here and they should get on with what's best for their own lives.

It was both a good and bad thing that she didn't work it out, depending on opinion. His dead wife wanted what's best for everyone. He wanted to respect that.

"This is a piece of cake." He rolled his eyes.

A surge of sorrow washed over him as he sat on one of the steps of the Museum, ignored by tourists and other visitors busy with photos. It's still undeniable that he is losing his memory, he wasn't sure if without today's date, he could still make out the picture of the real Aya Brea, his dear wife through the years in her wedding veil. A tight but lovely smile and her attention catching eyes. He can't believe that he never got to even touch her now. Soon he like Eve will completely forget. He thought it would be a good thing to just let the pain go. Move forward and smile to the future. Yet some part of him still hangs to painful memories as if he likes it.

However even the stealthiest are prone to ones stealthier. Kyle mistook someone for another visitor as the feminine figure in a long trench coat passed by and slipped something into his back pocket. The woman made a noise as if she was sobbing and disappeared into thin air. All went unnoticed by Kyle.


	4. Advent Part II

**NOTE: The author do not own parasite eve, for it's da property of Square and author da da blah... Anyway. Thank you everyone for your keen appreciation. Really sorry it took so long, I apologise.**

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**Advent part II**

**"****_In the real world things are very different. You just need to look around you. Nobody wants to die that way. People die of disease and accident. Death comes suddenly and there is no notion of good or bad. It leaves, not a dramatic feeling but great emptiness. When you lose someone you loved very much you feel this big empty space and think, 'If I had known this was coming I would have done things differently. These are the feelings I wanted to arouse in the players with Aerith's death relatively early in the game. Feelings of reality and not Hollywood._****" Kitase Yoshinori DIRECTOR OF FFVII**

Detective Pearce yawned carelessly while shunning the torch down the narrow sewer that could swallow a sun whole. 'So. What's with the investigation again?' She bit her lips and blinked down hard to keep awake.

'The matter's wrong with you huh? It's been all over the news. You'll lose your jobs at this rate!' Ben Dollis jerked as her cold bony hand landed on his shoulder among the desolate darkness the pair is in, earning an amused giggle from his partner. The 2 were never on easy terms; Ben didn't really remember or rather didn't want to remember much of his childhood. Something with his new partner's name just struck a soul tormenting chord in him.

Regardless, Ben actually quite liked this detective for her rebellious nature which didn't suit his dad's strict demeanor, reminding him of a woman who was somehow similar. She has a some-what practical mindset, except a preference for red colors. A reminder of a role model he had. Though it was actually her idea that they should probably ambush the suspect here as it's the largest possible space for someone to gather supplies. Which she….forgot.

'Annnnyways.' Dollis continued 'Forgot you've just moved in not long ago but there's been grotesque crimes going on around every contact the city has with the sewers. Smelled and seen the bodies. You don't wanna hear about it.' He eyed her hard at that with enough instructing tone to bullet the unruly detective into seriously. 'Currently it's been labeled as the work of a serial killer. We've found unknown organic chemistry near corpses that were as liquid as tomato soups. Oh My-. That awful scene. It hurts, it drums my head…. One scientists analysed the sample and collected what he thinks are transcription factors.

'Woah. Woah. Slow the heck down silly….' Pearce clutched her stomach tightly. Ironically the state of the description is just what she had for dinner. 'And what is this…..transriptor or whatever factors?'

'Transcription factors….are extra genetic materials which changes the expression of specific genes in the embryo of an animal, as a result—' Ben was quickly cut off face to face with a pair of polished emerald eyes and long natural strands of straight chocolate hair flowing to her shoulders.

'Wait. What? Where did you even learn all these stuffs? Can you explain it in plain English please?' Pearce's sleepiness changed to an exasperated head-ache at this "partner's" brainiac lecture.

'Well. Let's just say a guy did an experiment with them and made hybrids of chicken and dinosaurs.' Ben turned his back to her and enjoyed a little intellectual victory thanks to a scientist he knew from childhood, as he left his partner awed and dazed, mouth wide enough to drop and lick the sewers.

'Oh come on Mary. As a detective you should have a much more educated knowledge than a lowly police grunt.' He teased.

'Don't tell me it's some secret genetic mutation B-movie.' She rolled her eyes while taking off her red coat in dismay as the officer became more serious and leaned down. He froze. As if he's hallucinating in psychosis.

'Get serious you slut.' She moved over-

Screaming as the officer abruptly turned his back like a bigfoot, pranking her with a squeaking rat that made her collapse and cover herself in raw sewage.

'You bastard!' She shoved him hard while the dark skinned man laughed.

'Let's just say you have some creepy humours.' She wiped herself, combating the puke that was jumping and burning her throat. So find anything. 'Find any spooky, scary, sinisterly, scary Boogieman?' She jeered.

That wasn't the factor that stopped Ben's laughing out of an occasional work prank. It was the blood. The little fury creature painted the disgusting old sewage with bright red calligraphy of a wordless character of horror like a paint brush. He swear he just sensed something moving infront of them very quickly which flashed away even as he pointed his torch out of pure fear reflex into the darkness. The scurry noise of the rodent's footsteps stopped in abruptness so swift it was like a ghost had picked it up. A terrified little squeal of the thing's vulnerable vocal chord rang like a gun had fired but was immediately closed to silence as if the chord had been physically cut like a knife to the gun-barrel. Something snarled a blood rotten growl in the distance. It sounded human enough. Or rather it could just be a dog of some sort.

'We're not follow that are we.' Two yellow beams trailed the line of blood the small mammal lead. It was tempting from a sinister side of human curiosity to follow but fear and sensible intelligence overruled it.

'Come on. The two of us human beings ain't that much against a killer with a plan. Plus 2 human beings with very limited vision and short range weapons that takes some time to fire that much…the odds aren't good.' Ben and Mary retreated backward. Both on code yellow alert of all tiny sounds of snaps, obscure details in the form of blurs of any movement, any putrid smell of blood, any adrenaline from gut instinct. Feeling even the drop of vapour of life hanging onto stench of methane air. Ben held his torch in front of his gun hand so a charging killer cannot push away the gun and gut him. Mary did the same but watched his back, to either secure them from tripping or cornered adversaries.

They've got out with no harm but still kept their awareness at peak level, keeping well distance to the side of the sewer repair entrance, while communicating for re-enforcements.

* * *

Eve Brea hugged the warm coffee in her hand, her bare feet resting within the warm blanket. Resting mentally on the couch showered in amber light after a physical torment. Kyle sitting beside her with a caring silence, ready to answer her needs.

'So. Never knew you sleep-walk.' Kyle smiled and calmly suggested at her side. 'No worries Aya. I'll clean it up. Just a nightmare. Probably with no relevance. Plus you're hardly a slasher fan.' He got that right.

Eve clutched onto her coffee cup and smiled in return though her mind was processing with suspicious doubts on how Kyle discovered her habits and home. Was he stalking her? If so how could Kyle have any idea where the real Aya lived unless he was still the old Kyle that remembered. Though it was contradicted by the fact he never knew she sleep-walks, which was a common sign of her childhood under the couple's care. The most credible dismissal was that it was actually a paramedic who found her doing 'antisocial' activities on a cafe window. On the mirrors wrote the words. 'It's her. They are here. Partner.'

Kyle and her weren't really couples. Rather more of friends as they rarely live together. Yet here they are again. Kyle placing her in the same place that wasn't ruined in the apocalypse. Giving her coffee (which was usually tea considering her former age) and sitting her exactly likes this again. It would be a real lovable, comfortable and precious moment if someone else was in the apartment too at this instant but that person's body was herself. No matter how much she wished this Xmas. Aya would never come back again._ No. I am Aya Brea._ She thought. _I must be strong and take care of Kyle and myself and everyone._

It was quite a coincidence. She dreamt where she was in the physical world. She was in the same place walking down the street and near the cafe. One fragile snow piece falls to her hand. A figure in some trench coat drops by. Whoever it was it was really tall. She was Aya. She said…..

'Happy birthday…it's your fourth.'


	5. Old memories, same locations

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Square materials**

* * *

Dawn. The start of brightness and daylight. Something human beings, as creatures of the day look forward to. The yellow canary stripes glistening on the Christmas day sky casted away the night star nurse from their nightly aid, leaving a barely visible satellite of the moon while the sun was simultaneously rising.

By early morning, the squad of police officers and senior detectives had backed up Pearce and Dollis's pursuit into the sewers. To their surprise the sewer was laced with booby traps. They eventually was able to put an arrest to the infamous sewer killer, though the pair of detective and officer still fought back the cold chill running their spine on the almost inhuman growl they've heard last night. Was the case finally put to rest after 2 hours of careful and strategic searching?

The killer had a history of poverty and mental instability. In fact he had multiple arrests and prison sentences for illegal threats with blades and failed attempt at murder. The profile described him as very delirious, aggressive and insecure.

This was somehow the man Ben saw now. Though he wasn't sure if something else is there too.

The man was shivering so violently that his thin weak fingers are tearing off the fabric of his cloth. His teeth were jagged as if they came together so much he chipped them. The skin would be the finest pottery if for not the dirt and hair that still gave some life to it. While Detective Pearce noticed a huge scar on his leg the size of a dinner plate, its edge was not rounded or perfect. It reminded Pearce of when a mysterious fire started and took her father's arm. The rotting smell of decaying flesh left for days when she was as small as 5.

The man's face was a total hypnotized zombie. The edge of the sockets so sullen they seemed more dead than alive. As if he'll never sleep. Ever.

This human being to Dollis and Pearce seemed to be more on the description of 'insecurity' than aggressive. As scary as he is, the murderer is just a living portrait of an emotion. Though he'd suddenly latch onto any police within arm length, he did little harm except to continue the grab as if he needs someone to infect the fear disease to.

Dollis presumed that this was a form of shell shock. The killer, despite his dangerous game, should have witnessed an even more dangerous game which traumatized and broken his guts. A once feared and respected animal was nothing but a sickly re-animated skeleton. Doing nothing but murmur and grab.

The only outburst of violence was when he wrestled with his restrainers whenever they put him into a room. He would beseech like a raccoon on mad cow disease threatening them that he will not go in "confinment" any longer with that "orrible sadow." His strength was no match for the precinct's 5 strong officers holding him. Soon adrenaline was insufficient. He was locked up into an interrogation room.

Pearce heard rumours that he began to yell so loud in the interrogation. He refused to sit and started running around the room trying to climb up walls as if an innocent squirrel running from a wet bloodthirsty jaws of a wolf. Even when the officers weren't chasing in any way. They had to physically gag him and corner him then make him scratch and carve words since his shaking was so violent he snapped pens in half.

Most of what he wrote or rather smudged was crazy things such as Yo. I'm mother&*&%^ millionaire. Follow and suck my…' They were random insults throw with little connection although every 4 words appeared at the starting of sentences 'mother' and 'follow' and 'succession' and 'creature.'

Captain Farris Warner and Detective Kristopher Nix, 2 of the senior detective who worked on many cases were somehow shocked after the encounter. No one described how much the 2 detectives were scared and kept chanting about it. They have just ordered a full scale search of the sewers. Without telling anyone why.

'Good to see you Wayne.' Warner strolled into the weapon department of Precinct 17. Hours after everyone left for work. Few were on night shift 'So how's good old Dan, he still an old gruff that's the father justice?'

'Hey dude! Not saying I like it….but…er….no one called me a womanizer, nor a 'young pro-gun idiot anymore. I guess it's something you might say….' Wayne chuckled while fiddling for something which he stopped right after he remembered he shouldn't smoke. He'd quite years ago since 2000. 'Daniel's okay although Cathy's kid is giving him a lot of stress recently.'

Warner nodded. 'What can you say…people's people. We get out of a hole, we eat, we drink, we shit, we sleep, make more people and we die. Like no other creatures. No one escapes from it. Oh and-remind me, it was your dream to produce your own line of weapons. You've had that design months ago, what's happened….'

'I never marketed it and sent it' Wayne replied dryly. Looking back to the door of storage room. Where once someone of a mentor lived and breathed in there.

'Oh really Garcia? You're never the one who gives up on your obsession that easily. Plus I don't want you to become a Torres clone who hates firearm to the guts either. Truth is always probably in the middle. Cops own guns. Not the other way. But we're not bulletproof, we need self preservation too.' Warner leaned on the counter.

'Well. It's not about guns. That's not what's troubling me.' Wayne tidied the piles of paper works. The red haired captain already gave him enough lectures and punishments on organizations. 'Ever since the Old Captain Baker got shot and he…. I really am not sure of our destructive future and where it leads. I'd rather give in on my dreams than invent that line. Torres'right in some ways. After a while in the department you realise it. It's a vicious cycle. Guns aren't preservation weapons anymore but rather fear talisman that could be misused. Cops got guns and next things criminal got bigger and better guns, cops get even better guns but the object with purpose none other than destructive keeps on improving.'

'Stop it. Baker may be gone but the last thing he wants you to do is becoming that angst Torres again. Annnnyway, to the serious matter, organize the department I need at least 20 or 30 armed men going down the sewers sometime soon and-

A woman's scream sounded in the distance. Both men froze like ice.

Warner was sure no female staff was still here. Both men immediately darted off with aiming weapons on alert. The gory scene startled them.

The infamous sewer killer is dead. His body semi melted into a jelly like state. The face barely still visceral but rather a mixture of what made the men's heart explode from their chest and run back to bed covers. Words cursed together like a fly swarm with only 5 men. All at the scene wrenched as their dinner flew out of their mouth quicker than bullets. Their brains nearly startled back enough to collide onto the ceiling. Warner was the only person so far to not back down yet. Eventually he grabbed some sense to inspect the interrogation room; one of the fans was broken, revealing a hole in the structure that someone could have broken in here at the state of lowest alert.

Their hard investigation was drawn to a close. As a group of investigative bureau with higher authority came moments later and took all evidence, all files from the precinct. They were coldy told that their investigation stops. Case closed.

* * *

"Now sir would you kindly sign and give your permission to—"

"What?!" Daniel barked viciously at the nurse.

"Hey! Hey! Please. Please stop nurse. I should be responsible for this." The senior doctor stepped in.

Daniel is familiar with this doctor for quite some years now from his past of junior detective to a senior member of NYPD. The man's hair is quite grey; he's clearly suffering pressure working at St Francis's hospital.

"Sorry Daniel but I really have no choice. Leave her alone and we'll settle this. It seems our goals are conflicted." The doctor's eyes sternly stood out against his glasses.

"The boy's so weak now. And you're just gonna cut him off and abandon him. What backward sort of doctor you are!" Daniel grappled onto the doctor's lapels and his shoulder turned to hook but the nurse cried out how a barbarian he was, various patients eyed him for his raspy loud complaints.

The nurse semi-consciously pushed both men with heavy masses against her small body into the office and told them shut up and leave the patients in peace.

"Well. What do you know Daniel? A monster. A rogue doctor. Eventually all that crumbles us is the collapsing economy. Our choices are getting tough, it's not like I like it. God forgive my soul but I really wished I won't be the one to do this but er…"

"No. No. NO! You…You cannot just leave them. There's many more terminally suffering patients and you are just gonna waste them and exile them? And NO! Not the kid. Not Cody. Wait. How about cutting down the toy rations? How about cutting down the-the"

"You as a cop should know this by now!" The doctor responded furiously. "Nothing is ever perfect. We all need to make the least of evils in the worst circumstances. I swear I'll transfer my personal salaries and blood money to help Cody as I really don't yet have a family but this is the most I can under the health system. Some of the patients have to be removed." He nearly cried.

Daniel signed in frustration. Tempting for a secret deal. 'Okay please doctor. How about just save the kid. Let Cody stay, just please!"

"Not to speak pessimistically but from our data this is the most optimistic of optimistic predictions. The boy can't really manage through next year. Cody isn't the only patient I have. The others who need more help deserve it."

"I'm just doing my work." The lights went out. Screams of various patients came from the dark outside. The doctor immediately walked out to make sure everyone stays calm. Daniel reached for his holster but realizes he's retired. It's just a short circuit he thought.

"You're gonna help me Ex-detective or not?" The doctor's head peeped in. Daniel nodded and stepped outside. Walking past rows of beds lying on them compliant patients assuring them that it's all alright. Just a black out of the hospital. Lights will be fixed. Soon everything'll be alright. Stay calm, keep order. Walking past the roll, some was frantic while others were completely not suspicious and calmly lying there, others had a mixture of the extremes.

The doctor immediately rushed off to the emergency section where his soul feared for patients who need electronic treatments. Hopefully there's still some emergency power left…..he heard a scuttling sound in the dark corridor which there was no visibility.

* * *

Daniel heard a small scuttling noise. It was somehow….very familiar. A rat scuttled close by. Eyeing him with polished black marbles. It stood up and stared. Daniel was creeped slightly. But then it simply went to all fours and crawled. Jeeze the state of the hygiene. Daniel thought before the rat stopped again.

A rising movement bumped along the rodent's spine, which could be a trick of the dark. The rat stood again, its back facing him. Daniel leaned closer to inspect the thing's statue back fur.

The animal turned and grinned.

Within its jaws a row of crocodilian pointed teeth of a carnivore grimaced at Daniel, knocking the bigger mammal hundreds times its size to its bottom with pure survival fear. It was the murderous smile of a cold blooded killer. Red against white enamel in the dark. It lunged for the man's throat to which the detective abruptly slapped at its body, pile driving the thing into the walls with a bone cracking noise.

While it would be enough to cause a hemorrhage to the little rat. This rat was only annoyed at its prey. Firing a red blood stare into the man's face. It stood up again, opening its arms as if it's a serial killer psychologically torturing the detective, snarling a deep growl the volume of an elephant. Shooking its head side to side letting the teeth stained with blood be visible. Then it darted off without warning to recover. Waving a clawed hand in the air to say a temporary retreat.

The detective broke out of his freeze, slowly stepping back before yelling at his throat as another one of these furry creatures sneaked from behind and chopped off a morsel of his calve. He let out a blood chilling scream as a ligament snapping noise emitted from the dark shadow to the retreat of the previous rat. A creature the size of a bulldog leaped in naked aggression. Its velocity pinning down the fat blob. The creature is no longer a cute little rodent. The thing's jaws are far more fatal and terrifying with canines as long as a wood drill. But it was filled with hundreds of those deadly tools. The tail split into 3 bloody sections with no skin but exposed flesh a flame came out, slowly taunting the downed detective pinned under it. It held its tail like a lantern, fully illuminating the crocodile jaws, red bloodshot gaze. Daniel spit in response to its smelly odor.

Slow inch by inch the teeth descended. Daniel closed his eyes in fear as he was done.

"You'll pay for THIS!"

A roar came. The insidious head fell to the floor in a heavy thump as an axe motion chopped down. The doctor cursed again and again as he turned the hospital floor to a slaughter ground as the axe furiously drank blood from the remaining smaller mice pinning down Daniel that weren't mutated.

Ironically, it was the third time the doctor saved Daniel's life. Two were previous investigations that resulted in Daniel getting injured.

The word "pay" ranted ritualistically with each chop.

Daniel seized the doctor from behind and rushed him on as more and more scuttling sound pursued them.

"Oh Sweet Jesus!" The doctor wept. "They've eaten my patients!"

"And we'll be mincemeats very soon if they catch up!" Daniel ordered before rasping for breath, he realizes "Cody! Where on earth is him!" Daniel took off with the axe into the dark. With little choice the doctor followed. He'd rather die than be alone in the dark with those infestations.


	6. Confusion

**Disclaimer. I don't own PE.**

* * *

Gunshots flew around the narrow interrogation room as the canine but bipedal creature pinned Wayne down in Warner's gaze. One shot hit its eye, sending blood droplets around the air which horrified all police who saw it. It was unusual. Instead of submitting to gravity. The droplets floated in the air like ruby orbs.

Five extra shots landed upon the creature. The beast realized the futility of attack and stood up moments before taking Wayne's head off. Warner nearly wet himself as the wolf gazed at him with mouth dripping of saliva.

Accompanied with a white light that made all officers cover their eyes. The thing disappeared as quickly as it came.

"What on Earth did you do?!" A police officer that was there before Warner clutched his bleeding arm and pointed a firearm at the janitor. Instantly Warner was surprised at this.

"Noth—Nothing…Didn't you see that…th….thing. It was trying to kill me. I only used bleach for self defense!"

"What thing? And why did you kill the suspect by pouring bleach?!" The officer screamed!

"Robert?" Warner put his hand onto the officer's shoulder.

The officer quickly jerked the hand off and pointed his firearm at Warner. Warner expected the officers including Wayne behind him to support him….instead, they pointed their firearm at him too.

"Hey boss? Why did you shoot Robert in the arm?" Wayne came forward with cuffs from behind him.

Warner was consumed by madness. He looked at the interrogating table again. Wayne was nowhere to be seen. He must moved so fast that he teleported from the ground to behind him.

How is this rationally possible?

"Wayne." Warner almost lost his voice as his body shocked itself from adrenaline. "Why are you here? You were right in front of me. Right in front of my eyes! You were pinned. You were about to be attacked….attacked by that….that thing!" Warner hastily spoke.

"What thing boss?" Wayne tilted his head. A lot more officers behind Wayne agreed in a wave of hums.

"All we saw were the Janitor grazing the guy with bleach. Robert was there, then for whatever reason you jumped and started to shoot him." Wayne questioned in confusion.

"Are you tellin me you didn't see it? It was right there growling at me. Growling at you all!" The matter with you guys?!

"DROP THE BLEACH! NOOOOOWWWWW!" John yelled to which the janitor immediately threw away the bleach to the walls and threw up his hands.

"Why did you kill him!? So you're connected to the sewer killings? Hm?" Robert cuffed the Janitor, torturing him psychologically with questions.

"NO! I SWEAR! IT WAS THERE the beast is theeeerrreee!" The Janitor's voice trailed as he was taken away.

"Jeeze Wayne. Stop pointing the gun at me! ALL OF YOU! Put it dow—" Warner didn't finish.

Every officer including Wayne clicked their hand gun noisily.

"Okay. Warner. Listen. Hey listen old buddy." Wayne moved closer in a crouching position with the hand cuffs. "Maybe you should take a break. It's gonna be okay. You didn't kill anyone or anything plus Robert isn't the kind who doesn't tolerate accidents." Wayne nodded as he cuffed the frightened Warner's right hand.

"Maybe you need a break or something? I mean it's like Xmas or after it now and you've been working all year without a single day off. Also a lot of other officers got a bit mad after seeing the sewer stuffs. So why don't you take a break?"

"NO. Wayne…..listen to me. I am sure of what I have saw."

"No you're not. Let's get you out." Wayne cuffed his other hand and hurriedly led him away from other officers who are suspicious.

* * *

Daniel charged down the hallway.

"Um. Detecti—Daniel. I don't think it's a good idea to"

"Zip it." Daniel ordered the doctor.

The droning of sirens from NYPD vehicles comforted the 2. At least there are backups.

In one strike. Daniel broke into Cody's room. The stench and sight nearly struck him to his knees in fear.

A horribly disfigured dog with 3 heads waited graciously at the 2. It's paws on Cody's bed who was oblivious to the event. The dog moved an inch closer.

Immediately Daniel pounded onto it like a lion axe at the ready…

The doctor grabbed onto a flask of acid while he passed by the sterilization room, he was about to use it when a claw slashed at his chest. If it was in the wrong diagonal line of attack, he was certainly it would touch his heart. Though he rolled out in time and unfortunately the acid bottle missed Daniel by millimeters but landed on Cody's legs. The boy screamed awake.

His arm suddenly felt very hot as if trillions of centipedes are puncturing it. He screamed as the arm was now fully flamed and burning. The air smelt of barbecue. A female figure floated menacingly towards him.

Daniel gained a brief glimpse of the woman. She has a rather strong pretty build. Long hair that was down to her shoulder blades. Slightly tanned skin and 2 green eyes. Leather jacket and jeans. Isn't that…Ben's partner? And isn't her name Pearce too?

He quickly shifted his gaze to the dog. Only to find a flash of white and it was gone.

The doors burst open. The only sound apart from gasps was Cody's scream at the sight of this once big kind carer who stood before him with the bloodiest axe ever over his face as if he's going to chop him down. A rage on his face as if he was some boogieman out of a nightmare. Clenched teeth like a bigfoot or something.

"Dad!" One of the uniformed police officers of the 2 bear-hugged Daniel and dragged the axe away.

"What's happened? You insane!?" Ben wept as he rolled on top of his shocked father.

"Hey Doctor?! You okay?! What's happened?" Detective Pearce leaned close to the doctor who backed off.

"You! You attacked me!" The doctor clutched his arm but found it clean of injuries.

"Ben, you need to stay away from that bi%^h, she started it!" The statement from the retired detective sparkling a mixture of anger and confusion on Pearce.

Before anything else. 2 younger police with flashlights and rifles came in with a patient.

"YES! THAT'S HIM!" The patient yelled crazily. "He was the mad man that hacked the patients and potentially that boy too!"

Daniel panicked. Had this all been weird hallucinations? What caused it? There's no evidence. Still he was sure Ben's partner is connected to this.


End file.
